Hypertension Case Study – Commonwealth Pharmacists Association Academy

Hypertension remains one of the most prevalent modifiable risk factors for the development of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), including coronary artery disease, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, stroke, dementia, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and all-cause mortality¹.

Nearly one-third (18.6 million) of deaths from noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including CVD, diabetes, cancer, and chronic respiratory diseases, in 2019 were due to CVD².

The leading risk factor for CVD is hypertension, which accounted for 10.8 million deaths (19.2% of all NCD deaths) in 2019².

Over three-quarters of CVD deaths take place in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)³.

Hypertension is now highly prominent in LMICs, including South Asia, East Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Uncontrolled hypertension is higher in LMICs compared with high-income countries. This not only has implications for the health of affected individuals in resource-constrained health systems but also has substantial societal, developmental, and economic costs².

Despite the availability of widely used treatment options, managing this condition remains a challenge, especially as the condition can be asymptomatic, going unnoticed for a prolonged period of time. As a pharmacist, you are the most accessible healthcare provider and an expert in medication management; therefore, you play a pivotal role in managing hypertension across different healthcare sectors.

What you can expect in this case study:

A brief overview of hypertension and its impact as a public health challenge. We will also discuss the main cardiovascular risk factors for hypertension and the role that pharmacists play in community-based screening and management.
We present a case study of an undiagnosed male living with hypertension in a semi-rural African setting. This scenario-based module encourages you to apply your knowledge to practical decision-making, particularly in resource-limited environments, guided by recommendations from established guidelines.

By completing this case study, you will be equipped to support the diagnosis, prevention, and management of hypertension within a community setting whilst applying evidence-based practices. This case study will strengthen your competencies in blood pressure (BP) screening, cardiovascular risk assessment, treatment monitoring, patient counselling, and effective communication within multidisciplinary teams.

Emphasis will be placed on applying evidence-based clinical guidelines to local practice, enabling you to make meaningful contributions to the effective management of hypertensive patients and overall improved cardiovascular outcomes across your region.

Note:

This case study is a fictional scenario developed solely for educational and training purposes. It does not reflect a real patient, and any resemblance to actual individuals is purely coincidental.

This case study references internationally recognised clinical guidelines to support consistent learning and standardised responses to assessment questions. While working through the case study, you, as the learner, are strongly encouraged to consider and apply your own national or local guidelines, policies, and referral pathways, as these may vary based on the setting, resource level, and scope of practice.

This case study should take approximately 2 hours to complete.

Published: March 2026

Review date: March 2029

Please note that some devices require the page zoom to be set to 90% to see the content correctly. If this is applicable, please change your browser zoom settings now.